Friday Morning Roundup

Today in the roundup: Film incentives survive in Texas, a music venue closes in Frisco and local theater bits.

CTA TBD

FILM INCENTIVES STAY: As the Legislature considers ways to balance its budget, the state’s film incentives program has been in jeopardy. But, as Joe O’Connell reports on dallasnews.com, the incentive program has survived the chopping block. The Legislature has approved $30 million for the program to be spent over the next two years — half of what it approved two years ago. The incentives are designed to attract television, film and video game productions by offering tax breaks to companies who bring projects to the state.

ADIOS, LOCHRANNS: Tough news out of Frisco – Lochranns Irish Pub is closing its doors. The pub has been the home of regular music performances, none bigger than September’s Oysterfest, which attracted the likes of Rhett Miller, Telegraph Canyon, The O’s and a slew of other local faves. “This is very unfortunate on many levels,” Matthew Harber of Wellhouse Co., which helped to drive the music scene north, tells DC9 at Night. “Most importantly, it is going to be difficult for locals, as there is not a viable alternative for consistent live entertainment [in Frisco] outside of the Top 40, dance, cover band variety.”

THEATER BITS: Uptown Players scored a major coup by securing the rights to the regional premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal. The cast and director Michael Serrecchia discuss how they prepared for the show, which opened this week. (theaterjones.com) … Lysistrata Jones, which began life at the Dallas Theater Center as Give It Up! and is currently running Off-Broadway, has been extended another week. (nytimes.com) … Heading out to the Trinity Shakespeare Festival in Fort Worth to see As You Like It or MacBeth? Here’s a preview. (dfw.com)

Stephen Becker produces the shows Think and Anything You Ever Wanted to Know for KERA. As part of the Art&Seek team, Stephen produces radio and digital stories, along with the podcast "The Big Screen," with Chris Vognar, movie critic of The Dallas Morning News. View more about Stephen Becker.